The multiple sclerosis drug mitoxantrone may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the May 11, 2017, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Mitoxantrone suppresses the immune system. It was first developed as a chemotherapy drug for certain cancers.

Mitoxantrone is used for aggressive types of relapsing-remitting or progressive MS that do not respond to other Multiple sclerosis drug. But its use is limited because previous studies have shown an increased risk of leukemia and heart damage.The current study examined whether the drug increases the risk of other types of cancer. For the study, German researchers looked at all people with MS who were treated with mitoxantrone from 1994 to 2007 and followed them until 2010.